Open Invitation
by Lieutenant Caine
Summary: The door was open...so he came right on in.


**Open Invitation**

When Calleigh pulled into the drive after work that day, the only thing on her mind was a long hot shower to wash away the grime and stench of work. There'd been a double homicide out by Alligator Alley and bodies were not discovered until decomp was fairly well advanced. No matter how many times she worked decomp scenes, she could never get used to the sickening smell of death that permeated her clothes and hair and clung to her skin. She gave a little shudder as she unlocked the front door and stepped inside. Without her usual carefulness, she plopped her purse down on the hall table and continued on. She knew w the odor would settle into the house if she didn't light some scented candles so she quickly made her way to the living room and lit several small tea candles and sniffed appreciatively as the fragrance of warm vanilla filled the air.

She went straight to the master bathroom and quickly shed her clothes, placing them in a large plastic bag she kept stashed there just for this kind of situation. She would deal with them later. At the moment, she was dying to feel cleansing warm water flow over her body. Reaching into the shower enclosure, she opened the faucet to full force and set the temperature as high as she could stand it and then stepped under the stinging spray.

Torrents of hot water streamed through Calleigh's hair and over her body as the simply stood there and luxuriated in the feel of grime and death being washed away. She began to hum softly and reached for the shampoo to wash her hair. Pouring a generous dollop of the thick liquid into her palm, she worked it into her hair, creating mountains of foamy, white lather that slid through her fingers and along her neck and shoulders. After thoroughly massaging her scalp until it tingled she tilted her head back under the spray and rinsed the suds away. She was just reaching for the Bath and Body shower gel when she realized there was someone standing in the bathroom just outside the shower door…

XXXXXXX

Horatio left work and decided to stop by Calleigh's condo on the way home to ask her about the reports she'd left on her desk that afternoon. He knew she was usually very meticulous about things like that and it worried him a little that she had simply gone off and left them lying there without at least stacking them neatly. About half way there he decided to call her and let her know he was coming. He pressed the speed dial code for her number and waited for her to answer. After 5 rings the call went to voice mail. A little flicker of concern flared in Horatio's mind. The flicker turned into a full-blown conflagration as Horatio pulled into the drive and his CSI sharp eyes immediately noticed that the front door was slightly ajar.

Easing out of the Hummer, he withdrew his weapon and approached the condo cautiously. Once at the front door, he nudged it open slowly and then called out.

"Calleigh? Calleigh, you okay?"

Silence met his calls. He stepped into the house and quickly assessed the area he could see, sweeping side to side with his gun. There was no sign of forced entry, but Calleigh's purse was lying open on the hall table and the contents were partially spilled out; her lipstick, her keys, and her phone with the indicator still blinking that she had a new missed call. Making his way farther into the house, Horatio called again.

"Calleigh. It's Horatio. Are you okay, Sweetheart?"

As he moved through the living room he noticed the candles burning on the coffee table, lamp tables, and the mantel. He quickly made a loop through the kitchen and took a visual inventory of the knives on the counter in the wooden block…all there. His cautions steps took him toward the hall. He had just stepped into her bedroom, body tensed and ready to spring into action when he caught the sound coming from the bathroom.

Edging closer to the door he listened for a moment and then weighing the possible scenarios in his mind, made the decision to enter the bathroom. Cautiously he gripped the doorknob and turned it, taking care not to make any noise that would alert an intruder to his presence.

As the door opened he became aware of two things; the room was steamy hot, and there was someone in the glass enclosed shower. For a second the mist obscured his view but then it shifted and he caught a glimpse of a very feminine figure.

"Calleigh," he breathed softly. Relief flooded his veins.

He had taken one soft step back toward the door when the glass shower door burst open and he found himself staring down the barrel of Calleigh's .45.

"Calleigh!" he yelled as he reached out quicker than lightning and twisted the gun from her hand.

"Oh my god, Horatio! What the hell are you doing in my bathroom?"

"I came over to ask you about something at work today and saw the front door standing open. You didn't answer so I came in to check things out."

Green eyes locked with blue and sparks flew.

"Good grief! You could have just called."

"I tried, Calleigh and you didn't answer. I was worried."

She took a step toward him and suddenly realized that she was standing in front of him dripping wet and totally naked. That fact must have registered in Horatio's mind at the same time because Calleigh saw his eyes suddenly darken with an emotion that was nowhere near worry.

"Calleigh…" The tone of his voice had shifted from protective to possessive and it sent heat scorching through Calleigh's veins.

"Horatio…" Calleigh's voice was just as affected as his.

And then in a blur of motion, Horatio closed the distance between them and pulled her into his arms, regardless of the wetting his shirt suffered. His mouth closed hard on hers. The kiss was hungry, deep and possessive and Calleigh moaned when his tongue slipped into her mouth, stroking and teasing. His hands slid over her wet skin, urging her closer to his body and Calleigh was only too happy to comply. Her eager fingers began tugging at the buttons of his shirt, loosening them to allow her hands to slip inside and glide over his warm, bare chest.

"Calleigh, I was so afraid that something had happened to you," he muttered as his warm mouth skimmed down her neck, gently sucking away the drops of water that clung to her skin. Then he licked his way over her throat and down to the tempting curved of her breasts. Calleigh trembled as he lavished kisses across her ribs and down to her waist. Then he retraced his path with lips and tongue, painting moist patterns against her body. Finally he raised his head and looked down into Calleigh's eyes.

"Sweetheart…I think I need a shower," he whispered, and then slowly drew his belt from his slacks. In teasing slow motion, he lowered his pants to the floor and stepped out of them. Giving his shoulders a quick shrug, he let his already open shirt follow to the floor.

Calleigh caught her breath and slowly began to walk backward into the shower. Horatio matched her step for step until they were both standing under the hot streaming water.

This time it was Calleigh who wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a sensual, passionate kiss. Mouths met and tongues teased, stroking deeply, intimately. Her hands glided smoothly over his hot, wet skin. The torrents of water that sluiced over their bodies added to her sensual exploration and Horatio was left breathless with desire. When her hand slid between their bodies to stroke along his hard length, he gasped and then groaned aloud.

"God, Calleigh, I need you now."

Sliding his hands down over her tight, smooth bottom, he gripped her thighs and easily lifted her into his arms, settling her legs around his waist. Then he backed her against the wall of the shower, holding her firmly in his strong arms and slowly and gently stroked into her.

Calleigh moaned in pleasure as he settled deeply into her and began to rock his hips against hers.

"Horatio, you feel so…" she could hardly speak.

"Talk to me, Calleigh…"

Each movement of his body into hers sent pleasure cascading through her and she whimpered against his shoulder. He kissed his way up her neck and whispered softly in her ear.

"Come for me, Sweetheart."

The sound of his voice, the heat of the water streaming over her body and the feeling of him stroking deep inside pushed her over the edge and she threw her head back in ecstasy as her climax washed through her.

Horatio groaned when he felt the liquid heat of her body convulse around him and with her name tumbling from his lips, he surrendered to his own release.

For a long while, neither one of them was able to move. Finally Horatio gently set Calleigh back on her feet but did not loosen his arms from around her. He cuddled her close to his chest and brushed soft kisses across the wet mass of her golden hair.

"Mmmm. How was that for a welfare check, Sweetheart?" He chuckled as he cupped one hand to the side of her face and lifted her head up to look down into her eyes.

"Do you give this kind of attention to all your female employees?" she asked him in a sassy tone.

"No. Not all of them…only the ones who leave their doors standing open," he murmured as he kissed her soundly. "Talk about your open invitation…"

Calleigh's hands began to run over his water slick skin again and Horatio growled as she teased him with light gentle strokes down along his thighs.

"Calleigh, what are you…" he never finished that sentence because her small hand closed on him and began stroking smoothly along his length.

He growled and captured her lips in a heated kiss. And with no other preamble than that, he scooped her back up into his arms and plunged into her with one deep thrust. Holding her body tightly against him this time, Horatio began to thrust deeply, each plunge forcing a tiny moan of pleasure from Calleigh's throat. He felt her tense, heard her breathing go ragged and thrust once more, powerfully and deep. Calleigh's body arched in his arms as a second intense wave of pleasure crashed through her body. His own climax ripped through him, and he buried his face against her neck, kissing her roughly, shuddering with ecstasy.

It was a long time before either of them had the energy to do more than simply cling to each other. Finally Calleigh spoke in a shaky voice.

"Horatio, I am exhausted," she said softly, her lips brushing against his bare chest.

Horatio laughed gently. "Hmmm. I should be the one complaining. Here I do, stop to check on you because I think you might be in trouble and you attack me in the shower…twice."

"Horatio!" her protest died quickly when he kissed her and then pulled back to look into her eyes.

"What do you say, we call this shower a wrap and get some sleep? Hmmm?"

"Sounds good, Handsome. I'm about to drop myself." The words barely cleared her lips before she yawned.

Horatio's laugh echoed through the mist and still tumbling water of the shower. He reached and turned off the faucets and then carefully guided Calleigh out of the glass shower enclosure. He carefully wrapped her in a soft, green towel and grabbed a dark blue one for himself. The lifting her once more into his arms, he carried her into the bedroom. He let her down and began to dry her body slowly with loving touches and fleeting kisses over her bare skin. Finally he turned down the covers of her bed and carefully tucked her in. Loosening his own towel and letting it drop to the floor, he slid into bed beside her and snuggled her close to his chest.

"Calleigh," he whispered as he stroked her back with tender caresses.

"Hmmm?" she mumbled contentedly.

"Sweetheart, please don't leave the door open like that again. You really did scare me."

"I scared you? Ha. How do you think I felt when I realized there was someone in my bathroom? You're lucky I didn't shoot you, Horatio." She giggled. "That would have been hard to explain."

"Yes, that would have been hard to explain."

Calleigh was almost asleep when Horatio spoke softly again.

"Calleigh?"

"Yes?" Her voice was sleep slurred and thick.

"Calleigh are you sure the door is closed now?"

Her small hand smacked lightly against his chest.

"Oh, go to sleep, Handsome. Of course the door is closed now."

"Yes, Ma'am," he chuckled and snuggled her closer before he closed his eyes and did exactly as she had told him.

The MDPD officer who drove by Calleigh's house later that night, just happened to be looking at the right angle and noticed the thin sliver of light that shone between the door and the door frame. Stopping his car in the street, he cautiously approached the house. He was halfway up the drive before he recognized the Hummer parked beside the silver BMW. CSI-Unit One. He smiled. If Lieutenant Caine was with Ms. Duquesne, then everything was okay. Quietly he closed the door and made sure it was locked and then chuckling quietly to himself, he slipped back into his patrol car and drove away into the night.

A/N Sorry for the quick pull down and repost of this story, but I caught couple of mistakes that I never saw the first time I wrote this story. I think three years is long enough to allow a spelling mistake to hang around, don't you?

Lieutenant Caine


End file.
